Early intervention in domestic violence and abuse

The report preliminarily assesses a suite of preventative programmes for children and young people, early intervention initiatives for families at risk and perpetrator programmes. It provides practical advice for local commissioners and others, and details specific actions and tangible recommendations for policymakers.

Our research has found that there is a strong case to show that domestic violence and abuse is highly prevalent, is an important cause of long-term problems to children, families and communities, and is associated with significant economic costs. Although some of the best-evidenced programmes to reduce recidivism by perpetrators appear to be ineffective there are many examples of good practice on the ground to address domestic violence and abuse and promising evidence of more effective newer and emerging models of practice. Improvements in early intervention and prevention could have a significant impact on reducing these long-term negative consequences.